Game devs have similar issues. They need fairly wide API access, and if you don't ship inside of Steam, or have an exe generated from Unity or Unreal. Then SmartScreen (part of Defender?) will often flag you.
If you're remotely serious about indie game development, it's the way to go.
Valve is guilty of anti-competitive behavior, and effectively has a monopoly on PC gaming.
> If you're remotely serious about indie game development, it's the way to go.
It's basically impossible to be successful on PC without publishing on Steam. It's "the way to go" because there are no other real options, not because $100 is "a bargain".